The Blog

Geron’s Dfunct Stem Cell Program Given New Life

It was a major pro-life victory. Nearly two years ago one of the largest biotech companies in the United States ended the first human trials for a treatment using cells derived from human embryos. Not only that, but they got out of the ESC research business entirely.

Unfortunately, now it seems Geron’s ESCR program has been given new life. Last month, former CEO Tom Okarma signed an agreement for BioTime of Alameda, California to take control of the program.

This announcement comes shortly after the United States Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging the legality of Barack Obama’s expanded government support of human embryonic-stem-cell research. So, you can bet that whenever the trials resume here, your tax dollars will probably help fund them.

I don’t mean to sound cynical, but at some point, pro-lifers are going to have to stop hanging their hats on the fact that ESCR has not been “successful.” Whatever happens with this new venture, let’s remember that this is about ethics, not science.